The increase in violent crimes has been well documented. Crimes of violence against the person, such as mugging are increasing at such a rapid rate that in some areas it is unsafe to venture out without some form of protection.
Many persons carry fire arms, knives and other deadly weapons as protection against attackers. However, carrying such weapons is normally illegal and is attendant with so many dangers and potential liabilities involving their use that non-lethal defensive weapons have been proposed. Such defensive weapons are intended to give the defender sufficient ability to ward off, or defensively injure an attacker, the the attacker will be discouraged and will leave the potential victim unharmed.
Various types of hand held clubs and striking implements have been proposed. Such devices normally have a large diameter handle which is grasped in the defender's hand. If the attacker is able to grasp any portion of the device, the attacker is likely to be able to wrench the device from the defender's hands and thereby expose the defender to further attack and reprisal. Many of the devices are to large to be conveniently and inconspicuously carried. The smallest of the previously known hand held devices obtain their compactness by a compromise in the usefulness of the device in warding off an attack. Normally such smaller hand held devices are useful, if at all, only in striking defensive blows, and not in warding off attach such as by parrying knife blows.
Therefore, it is desirable to have a hand held defensive weapon that is small and may be substantially concealed in the palm of the hand while at the same time providing good defensive blow capability and protection against an attacker's thrusts. Such a device is particularly valuable where it is not easily wrenched from the defender's grasp and where it is easily manipulated between protective and defensive blow striking positions.